Last summer, the excitement of NHL free agency revolved heavily around a pair of forwards in Johnny Gaudreau, who signed with Columbus, and Nazem Kadri, who landed in Calgary.
That cohort could have been larger had the likes of Evgeni Malkin, Filip Forsberg, and Patrice Bergeron not re-upped with their longtime clubs.
There was also intrigue watching Toronto’s goaltending situation play out as the team allowed Jack Campbell to sign in Edmonton and replaced him by trading for Matt Murray and signing unrestricted free agent Ilya Samsonov.
In 2023, the depth of potential unrestricted free-agent forwards is impressive. Luckily, any chatter surrounding the captain of the Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche hitting the open market was squashed before the season began as Nathan MacKinnon signed a massive eight-year, $12.6 million deal. There is still plenty of talent available however very early in the regular season, including these potential unrestricted free agents for 2023.
1. David Pastrnak, RW, Boston Bruins: TSN reported last week there is still a “sizeable gap” between the Boston Bruins and star Czechian forward David Pastrnak. Pastrnak is in the final season of a six-year $40 million contract that could bring him to free agency shortly after his 27th birthday. One of the most skilled players in the NHL, Pastrnak is scoring almost an average of two points per game to open the season, helping the Boston Bruins to a roaring start. His nearly $6.7 million per season rate is a discount. How much of a raise will he receive…and will it come from Boston?
2. Patrick Kane, RW, Chicago Blackhawks: Kane is expected to hit the open market unless he’s acquired by a team that intends to sign him before the 2023 NHL trade deadline. Kane’s finishing a team crippling $10.5 million per season contract signed alongside Jonathan Toews (see below) in July 2014. Kane, who’ll be 34 on Nov. 19, remains an electrifying player that can still help a contending team in a top-six role. He’ll be taking a pay cut but will still be searching for a multi-year term.
3. Dylan Larkin, C, Detroit Red Wings: The intent is clear – Dylan Larkin wants to remain the captain of the Detroit Red Wings. After enduring years of losing, the Red Wings appear to be at a precipice of turning the corner toward contention, and Larkin wants to see it through. The Red Wings have available cap space but are still not a talented enough team to challenge the league’s top teams. Can Detroit convince Larkin to take a team-friendly deal? It’s been Steve Yzerman’s calling card in Tampa, and it resulted in wins. At the same time, Larkin is due a raise on his current $6.1 million deal. By how much is yet to be determined.
4. Tristan Jarry, G, Pittsburgh Penguins: Last summer, there was a lack of NHL goaltenders on the free agency market with a true starters resumé. Making $3.5 million per year, the Penguins have openly stated contract extension talks have already started with Jarry, but any new deal will depend upon the NHL’s salary cap rising as predicted or the Penguins allowing another pending free agent such as Jason Zucker or Brian Dumoulin to walk. If Pittsburgh falls out of playoff contention, it makes sense for the team to move one or both of those players to gain affordable assets back and pre-emptively create cap space for Jarry.
5. Matt Dumba, D, Minnesota Wild: The top blueliner available in what looks like a very thin defensive crop of UFAs, Dumba is about to get paid. Combining offensive upside with a strong physical presence, Dumba is the type of mobile defender that teams covet, and the opportunity to add the 28-year-old could potentially spark a bidding war. He’s off to an abnormally slow start, but the season is young, and Dumba will be a name to follow as free agency approaches.
6. Bo Horvat, C, Vancouver Canucks: Before this season, talk of watching Vancouver’s captain walk via free agency would have been seemingly absurd. With the Canucks off to a horrific start and leadership being questioned both on and off the ice in Vancouver, Horvat could be headed out the door before the trade deadline to ensure Vancouver gets assets in return if the team decides he’s no longer part of their future. Producing well and a respected name in the game, if his relationship continues to sour in Vancouver, Horvat watch will commence.
7. Tyler Bertuzzi, LW, RW, Detroit Red Wings: Tyler Bertuzzi’s name has surfaced in trade talks over the last year, and depending on where Detroit sits heading into the new year, it could again. Bertuzzi is a 30-goal scorer who is still only 27 and making $4.75 million this season, and he provides a level of physicality that isn’t common among players with his scoring prowess. With vaccination restrictions loosening, a reason he missed several games last season, the market for Bertuzzi will be on the rise. Will Yzerman keep the Detroit lifer, or will he continue to shuffle his roster?
8. Vladimir Tarasenko, RW, St. Louis Blues: There’s a distinct chance the St. Louis Blues will watch Tarasenko test free agency this summer, especially if Tarasenko is seeking a raise on his $7.5 million per season rate. When healthy, Tarasenko is a point-per-game (or better) player who can break open games. He was a crucial piece in St. Louis’ Stanley Cup win in 2019, but the Blues’ have watched their championship window close quickly as new contenders emerge.
9. Jonathan Toews, C, Chicago Blackhawks: ‘Captain Serious’ will have his loyalty tested this off-season with unrestricted free agency looming for the first time in his career. At 35, the veteran of more than 1,000 NHL games, all with the Chicago Blackhawks, is still effective at both ends of the ice, but that era is winding down. If he leaves Chicago, Toews is likely to look for a Cup contender on a team-friendly deal in hopes of collecting another title in the twilight of his career.
10. Shayne Gostisbehere, D, Arizona Coyotes: Before last season, few would have expected Gostisbehere so high on a top free agent list. He’s shown himself as a blueliner with offensive upside during his time with Philadelphia, but last season with Arizona, he emerged as one of the better offensive defenders in the league. This year, he’s off to a fast start, and if that offensive production proves consistent, he will be a sought-after commodity. Watching John Klingberg struggle to find a home last season, however, could be a harbinger of what lies ahead for Gostisbehere.
11. Ryan O’Reilly, C, St. Louis Blues: A pay cut is coming on O’Reilly’s steep $7.5 million cap hit, but the physical presence still has value for a contender or a team looking for veteran insulation on an up-and-coming roster. He’s off to a painfully slow start with one assist in eight games, which will greatly impact his future earnings if it continues. That said, there will be teams interested in O’Reilly’s intangibles this off-season and potentially earlier in the trade market.
12. Sean Monahan, F, Montreal Canadiens: One of the more intriguing stories to watch early in the NHL season has been Monahan’s ongoing reclamation project in Montreal. He’s off to his best start in years and has gone from a player who risked playing his way out of the NHL altogether to a player many teams could target as a fit for their third line with the potential to move up the lineup. His value will be determined by an injury-free season with consistent production.
13. Alex Nedeljkovic, G, Detroit Red Wings: With Sebastian Cossa playing games in the AHL this season as a teenager and Ville Husso signed into next year, Alex Nedeljkovic’s return to Detroit is no guarantee. The Wings could re-up Nedeljkovic for another season, but he’s off to an inconsistent start, a tendency that has plagued his time in Detroit. When he’s on, he’s difficult to beat, and there will be ample interest for teams looking to run a tandem if he does not remain in Detroit.
14. Michael Bunting, LW, Toronto Maple Leafs: For intrigue alone, watching where Bunting goes, and seeing how much he is paid, will be fascinating. Making only $950,000 this season, Bunting is in a position where he’s playing himself out of a contract in Toronto but also playing himself into a big raise. GM Kyle Dubas has made magic before, but it’s unlikely the team will have room for Bunting and fellow UFA Alexander Kerfoot.
15. James van Riemsdyk, LW, RW, Philadelphia Flyers: Not the player he once was, the 33-year-old van Riemsdyk still has value coupling size, net front scoring, and veteran leadership. Having spent his career in Toronto and Philadelphia, it would not be surprising to see van Riemsdyk value winning over money when looking for his next deal.
Other pending UFAs of note: Danton Heinen, Tyler Motte, Dmitry Orlov, John Klingberg, Jordan Staal, Erik Johnson, Kyle Okposo, Jason Zucker, Gustav Nyquist, Jonathan Drouin, Alex Killorn, Damon Severson, Brian Dumoulin, Lars Eller, Pavel Zacha, Alexander Kerfoot, Max Domi, Ryan Graves, Nick Jensen, Justin Holl, Trevor Moore, Conor Sheary.
